I’ve been baking buttery raspberry crumble cookies for years; the tender shortbread base, bright jam center, and crisp buttery crumble make them a crowd-pleasing treat. They’re deceptively simple but feel special, and I often bring them to potlucks and afternoon tea.
Why Make This Recipe
- Bright, not too sweet: fresh or frozen raspberries (or a high-quality jam) balance rich, buttery dough for a bright finish.
- Textural contrast: a soft center, tender cookie base, and crunchy crumble top create satisfying layers.
- Easy to scale: you can halve or double the batch without changing technique — great for holidays.
- Make-ahead friendly: dough and crumble freeze well for quick baking later. One of my favorite shortcuts is adapting ideas from this brown-butter version (brown butter raspberry chocolate chip cookies) when I want deeper flavor.
Recipe Overview
- Prep time: 25 minutes active (plus 30 minutes chilling)
- Cook time: 10–14 minutes per sheet at 350°F (175°C)
- Total time: ~1 hour including cooling
- Servings: about 24 cookies (1–1.5 inch dough portions)
- Difficulty: Easy
- Method: Creamed cookie dough piped or scooped, dolloped with raspberry jam, topped with a cold-butter crumble, and baked on parchment-lined sheets. For a flavor cousin, try buttery shortbread with pistachios (buttery cranberry pistachio shortbread).
My Experience Making This Recipe
I tested this recipe across three oven types — convection and conventional — and adjusted baking time by 1–2 minutes for crisp edges. The biggest discovery was chilling the dough for 30 minutes: it keeps the cookies thick and prevents excessive spread.
How to Make Buttery Raspberry Crumble Cookies
Start by creaming room-temperature butter (1 cup, 226 g) with ¾ cup granulated sugar and ¼ cup light brown sugar until light and pale, about 2–3 minutes with a hand or stand mixer. Add 1 large egg and 1 tsp vanilla, then fold in 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour, ¾ tsp baking powder, and ½ tsp salt just until combined. Scoop 1–1.5 tablespoon rounds onto a parchment-lined sheet, press a shallow thumb indentation, add ½–1 tsp raspberry jam, and top with a quick crumble (about ¾ cup flour, 6 tbsp cold diced butter, ¼ cup sugar — pulse until pea-size). Chill assembled cookies 20–30 minutes, bake at 350°F (175°C) for 10–14 minutes until edges are set and crumble is golden, then cool on a rack.
Expert Tips for Success
- Cream correctly: beat butter and sugars until pale and ribbon-like (2–3 minutes) to incorporate air for a tender crumb. Check out texture cues from similar recipes like this gooey variation (gooey raspberry chocolate chunk cookies) to know when you’ve creamed enough.
- Keep crumble cold: grate or dice very cold butter and pulse with flour in a food processor for an even, pebbly topping that crisps but doesn’t fully melt into the jam.
- Use a cookie scoop: a 1-tablespoon scoop makes uniform cookies that bake evenly; rotate pans halfway if your oven has hot spots.
- Jam vs. fresh berries: use a thicker seedless raspberry jam or cook down fresh raspberries with a tablespoon of sugar to avoid watery centers that make the base soggy.
- Chill assembled cookies: 20–30 minutes in the fridge prevents spreading and helps the crumble hold structure during baking.
How to Serve Buttery Raspberry Crumble Cookies
- Afternoon tea or coffee: plate 3–4 with a sprig of mint and small bowl of extra jam. Try a pairing idea inspired by buttery snowball cookies for a cookie tray contrast (buttery snowball cookies).
- Dessert plate: serve warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of mascarpone.
- Gift idea: stack in small boxes with parchment and a ribbon for neighbor gifts — they hold shape well for short transport.
- Party platter: arrange with other fruit-forward cookies and label flavors for a brunch spread; a peach cobbler cookie pairs nicely (peach cobbler cookies).
Storage and Reheating Guide
Store cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days; place a sheet of parchment between layers to protect the crumble. For longer storage, freeze unbaked assembled cookies on a tray until firm, then bag them for up to 3 months; bake from frozen, adding 2–4 extra minutes to the time. Reheat baked cookies at 300°F (150°C) for 5–7 minutes to refresh crispness, or microwave single cookies for 8–10 seconds for a warm, soft center.
Recipe Variations
- Gluten-free: replace all-purpose flour with a 1:1 gluten-free blend containing xanthan gum; chill dough longer (40–45 minutes) to hydrate.
- Dairy-free: use plant-based stick butter (1:1 swap) that’s cold and firm for the crumble; check texture — you may need slightly less for the crumble.
- Lemon-raspberry: add 1 tsp lemon zest to the dough and switch jam to lemon-raspberry preserves for a bright lift.
- Nutty crumble: stir ¼ cup finely chopped toasted almonds or pistachios into the crumble for extra crunch and flavor.
Nutritional Highlights
- Raspberries add vitamin C and fiber, and using a modest jam portion keeps added sugar controlled.
- These are higher in butter and calories — consider portion control (one cookie ~120–160 kcal depending on size).
- Allergen info: contains wheat, dairy, and egg; see variations above for gluten-free and dairy-free swaps.
Troubleshooting Common Issues
- Cookie spread too much: dough was too warm or overcreamed; chill dough 30–45 minutes and use cold baking sheets.
- Soggy center under jam: jam was too runny — use thicker preserves or briefly simmer fresh berries to concentrate them.
- Crumble melts into jam: butter in crumble was too soft — chill the crumble mixture for 10 minutes before topping, or pulse in a food processor to get pea-sized pieces.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Can I use frozen raspberries?
A: Yes — use a thickened raspberry compote (simmer frozen berries with 1–2 tbsp sugar until thick) or a seedless jam. Frozen berries release water as they thaw and can make the center soggy, so it’s better to cook them down first.
Q: Can I make the dough ahead of time?
A: Absolutely — dough keeps in the fridge for up to 48 hours. You can also freeze scooped dough balls (not baked) on a tray, then bag them for up to 3 months and bake from frozen.
Q: My crumble browned too fast — what went wrong?
A: Your oven may run hot or crumble pieces were too large. Lower oven temp by 10–15°F (5–8°C) and break crumble into smaller pea-sized pieces so they crisp uniformly without burning.
Q: How do I keep the cookies soft without losing crunch on top?
A: Store cookies at room temperature with a piece of crusty bread in the container to help maintain moisture balance, and re-crisp the crumble briefly at 300°F (150°C) for 3–5 minutes before serving.
Conclusion
For another trusted take on the classic jam-and-crumble cookie that inspired many home bakers, see this detailed recipe for Raspberry Crumble Cookies (Top Rated) on Celebrating Sweets: Raspberry Crumble Cookies (Top Rated) – Celebrating Sweets.
Print
Buttery Raspberry Crumble Cookies
- Total Time: 60 minutes
- Yield: 24 cookies 1x
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
Deceptively simple buttery cookies with a raspberry jam center and a crisp crumble topping, perfect for potlucks and afternoon tea.
Ingredients
- 1 cup (226 g) room-temperature butter
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup light brown sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- ¾ tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp salt
- ½–1 tsp raspberry jam
- ¾ cup flour (for crumble)
- 6 tbsp cold diced butter (for crumble)
- ¼ cup sugar (for crumble)
Instructions
- Cream butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until pale and fluffy for 2-3 minutes.
- Add the egg and vanilla, mix, then fold in flour, baking powder, and salt until just combined.
- Scoop 1–1.5 tablespoon portions onto a parchment-lined baking sheet, creating an indentation in the center.
- Fill the indentation with raspberry jam.
- Prepare the crumble by pulsing flour, cold butter, and sugar until pea-sized, then sprinkle over jam.
- Chill formed cookies for 20-30 minutes.
- Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 10–14 minutes until edges are set and crumble is golden.
- Cool cookies on a wire rack.
Notes
Chilling the dough prevents excessive spread and helps maintain cookie thickness during baking.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 14 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 150
- Sugar: 8g
- Sodium: 100mg
- Fat: 10g
- Saturated Fat: 6g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 18g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 2g
- Cholesterol: 30mg